


Song Of The Netherworld

by bluemisfortune



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Alternate Universe, Gen, Missing Persons, Obsession, Survivor Guilt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:56:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27605227
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluemisfortune/pseuds/bluemisfortune
Summary: Day to day life is nothing but a comfortable cage and the freefall of the descent is freedom. It’s a siren song Ruri has had to accept Shun hears all too clearly. It’s why it’s no surprise to find Shun packing to go again less than a month after his last return. Any excuse to be away from The City and he’ll take it.Ruri tries not to take it personally.
Relationships: Kurosaki Ruri & Kurosaki Shun
Kudos: 3





	Song Of The Netherworld

**Author's Note:**

> So, I watched Dawn of the Deep Soul (nothing will ever be ok again!) and so something I'm not sure if I'm going to actually carry on into a chaptered fic or not, so let me know if you want to see more and see our kids go find Yuushou. Anyway, sorta uses the Made In Abyss world, but if you're not familiar with it, don't worry, you don't need to know anything except that there's a big damn hole in the ground full of monsters, relics and curses. I'm not sure I'd recommend it to people, but if you're ok with a bit of voilence and mild gore, I'd recommend the anime before the manga, it's a pretty fantastic story if you can overlook the polarising stuff. Anyway, let me know if you guys wanna see more.

The Abyss sings to Shun. 

It calls to everyone, in some quiet way. They’re constantly standing on the edge and wondering what it would be like to step off. It’s the lure of the unknown. And somehow the Abyss knows how best to lure people in. Almost like a predator baiting it’s prey. With the desire for more treasure. With the lust for adventure. With the glory of the unknown. With the knowledge of the old world. Everyone knows of it. Everyone around the world feels the pull of the Abyss. 

But for some, it sings. For some, it’s more than the unknown, the history, the adventure and the riches. 

It’s just the Abyss itself. 

The depths consume them and the surface world becomes little more than a distraction. Day to day life is nothing but a comfortable cage and the freefall of the descent is freedom. The curse is just an excuse not to return. 

It’s a siren song Ruri has had to accept Shun hears all too clearly.

It’s why it’s no surprise to find Shun packing to go again less than a month after his last return. Any excuse to return to the Abyss and he’ll take it. Any excuse to be away from They City. Ruri tries not to take it personally.

“Where this time?” Ruri says, leaning over Shun’s map spread out on the table. It’s a beautiful ink and watercolour scroll Shun had copied from the Guild’s latest map himself. Her fingers trace down the depths of the Abyss’ throat. “Anything specific or just raiding?”

Shun takes a lantern from the shelf above her head. “We’re taking Akaba Reiji down to see The Professor. It’ll be his first time going that deep.”

“The Professor?” Ruri says, tracing lower down the map. “The Fourth Layer?”

“The Garden,” Shun says, tapping one of the lowest points on the Fourth Layer. “Ray’s grave is down there.”

“Is it pretty?” Shun smiles, packing the lantern and crystals into his bag. “The Fourth Layer is beautiful right?”

“It is.” His smile is so soft and serene when he thinks about it, Ruri can almost forget the curse that awaits those who try to return. “Like giant lily pads collecting all the water that falls from above. And, Ray’s grave is in a field of Eternal Fortunes. Just flowers as far as the eye can see.”

“You sound like you’re going back for yourself, not him.”

Shun glances at her. He doesn’t even try to deny it, just turns his attention to winding rope around his arm. Ruri’s gaze travels down the rope to his wrist, still bandaged and braced from the break he suffered on the last return journey. 

“You’ll die down there one day.”

Just like their mother. Then their grandfather. And then their father.

Shun’s smile doesn’t falter though. Ruri knows why. She’s grateful he doesn’t say it. Her fingers continue down the map. To the Fifth Layer. The deepest point possible to return from. And then beyond, past the point of no return. One day, when Shun has a White Whistle hanging around his neck, the Abyss will overwhelm him, he’ll dive into the Capital of the Unreturned and his soul will return to the depths of the netherworld. 

“How long?” Ruri says softly. 

“A few months,” Shun replies. “Two, maybe three months at most. You know how time gets away from you down there.”

“So I’ve heard,” she says. Or maybe it’s because the deeper Shun goes, the more reluctant he is to return. “Who else is going?”

“Sakaki will be guiding us. He’ll probably bring his apprentice along. He usually does.”

“That’s good.”

Sakaki Yuushou is a legend even among White Whistles.Yuushou the Magician, Lord of the Sky. He’ll be a good leader and get them there and back safely. And while everyone calls Dennis Sakaki’s apprentice, he hasn’t actually been so in years. Not since he was younger than Ruri. He’s got a Moon Whistle and working towards his Black Whistle, just like Shun - they're capable of not only going down into the depths alone but taking on students of their own. Everyone knows Dennis is Sakaki’s partner, but no one will call him that. As if his wife would mind. 

“And I think Serena’s coming with us down to the Seeker Camp on the Second Layer.”

“Can I see you down as far as I can?” Ruri says. “You’ll take the gondola down, right?”

Shun frowns and tilts his head. “That’s lower than you’re allowed.”

“Only a little,” she replies.

“Still dangerous.” 

“And I’ll come straight back up. I just want to see you guys off. I hate knowing you guys might never come back.”

“I’ll always come back to you and Yuuto,” Shun says.

He says it with so much conviction Ruri can almost believe it. Perhaps he really does mean it. Perhaps he does believe it. Ruri would like to think Shun doesn’t realise how obviously obsessed he is. Because then he’s not lying to her - not consciously, at least.

“When do you leave?” 

“Dawn. Be up and you can come down in the gondola. I won’t wake you.”

Ruri nods eagerly. Everytime Shun leaves on a dive, no matter how much belief Ruri has in his skills, there’s always a chance he won’t return. She always hates the idea of him leaving without saying goodbye. If Shun dies down in the Abyss, Ruri needs to know she’s told him how much she loves him and has said goodbye properly.

And so Ruri is up before dawn, preparing to head down and feeding Luscina and Raptor, the pair of tame Corpse Weepers Shun had bought back as eggs for them to raise. They mimic Shun’s voice when he’s away and even as they grow, they remain affectionate. Maybe that’s why Shun bought them up from the deep. 

Shun does love the incredible avian species hiding in the Abyss and Ruri loves the stories and sketches he brings home, along with the beautiful feathers that adorn his helmet. Most of the plumes on his helmet and sketches in his notebook are unknown species that Shun’s naming as he goes. Ruri wants to find a new species too one day. At least they can share in that ambition.

“Ready to go?” Shun says, switching on a lantern. 

“Ready,” Ruri says with a nod. 

She switches on her own lantern and picks up a smaller backpack. They head out into The City together and Ruri hums, watching the lights flickering on around them as people start to wake. This is why Sakaki’s expeditions always leave early. He always did hate the fuss of leaving. He seems to much prefer to make a scene on arrival. Ruri thinks all high level Delvers have some sense of showmanship and that perhaps it increases as you go deeper into the Abyss. Perhaps it’s part of how the Abyss drives them to madness and lures others in. From Dennis’ colourful, eccentric modifications to his uniform to the bright plumage on Shun’s helmet to Akaba Reiji’s hideously oversized red scarf and general manner, they’re all pretty weird.

Sakaki is waiting at the entrance to a cliff path down into the First Layer. He’s chatting with Hiiragi Shuzou. Naturally, Dennis is with him already, standing on the wall Sakaki is leant against, pacing and turning restlessly and chatting with Yuuya and Yuzu with his usual nervous excitement. 

“Kurosaki,” Dennis calls as they approach. As loud and boisterous as ever. He’ll wake the entire City at this rate. “Ruri! Good morning! Are you coming down with us?”

“Just down in the gondola,” Ruri replies with a small smile. “Like everyone else, I suppose.”

“It’s good to have everyone here to see us off,” Sakaki laughs.

“Is it?” Shun mutters. 

There are footsteps above. Akaba Reiji and Serena are coming down the steps above them. He has his scarf pulled up around his face and looks exhausted but determined. Dennis grins and jumps off the wall. He pulls on his backpack and Ruri is always amazed at the weight the Delvers can carry in those bags. 

And with everyone here, the group makes their way down the path towards the edge of the Abyss. Sunlight peaks over the ridges above, slowly illuminating The City on the edge of oblivion and the path ahead of them. Dennis still chats away eagerly, climbing gear clattering as he walks with a bounce in his step and eyes bright with the thrill of adventure. He grins up at Shun, shooting teasing barbs between them that Shun meets with fake disinterest and a smirk tugging at his lips. 

They’re the same, those two, Ruri thinks. The same as Akaba. The same as Sakaki. They all gaze down at the Abyss with such longing. The need to return home to the bottom despite the risks. Lost children of the Abyss.

It all culminates in Shun pushing Dennis from the stepping stones over a stream and Dennis being quick enough to drag Shun with him. The way the two of them act about it, you’d think they’re soaked in deep water rather than splashing up to their ankles.

“Children,” Serena mutters.

But spirits are high and by the time they reach the gondola to take them down six hundred meters into the First Layer, they’re all smiling. Hiiragi waves them off at the pier and they wave back for as long as they can before the cloud cover and cliff edges obscure him from sight and their little glass cage continues to descend. 

Ruri has never been down so deep. Most of them haven’t. It’s surprisingly bright, even for so early in the morning. Shun lens against the glass beside Ruri, pointing things out as they go and Yuuya and Yuzu crowd around listening eagerly. The sheer cliffs and slopes covered in greenery and fluttering wildlife are so beautiful it’s breathtaking. And as they descend through the swirling clouds, Ruri is starting to think she might understand at least some of the siren song Shun hears. 

It’s all too soon they reach the drop off point. Ruri doubts she’ll be able to appreciate the return trip as much as the downward one. And they’re not even halfway to the Second Layer yet. Ruri gazes down over the edge of the walkway into the Abyss. To the darkness they’ll be descending into. Down below, she can just make out the forest hanging over the cliffs through breaks in the clouds.

“Don’t worry,” Shun says, putting a hand on her head. “We’re sticking to the well worn routes. No wandering off the path into dangerous, unexplored areas this time.” 

Ruri smiles and nods. As if she believes that. 

“Please keep them safe,” Ruri whispers, gazing up at Sakaki, who grins back. “Bring him home.”

“I’ll do my best,” Sakaki says. He shifts his bag and sets out ahead of the groups. “Dennis, keep an eye on the back..”

“Right!” Dennis chirps with a salute. 

“Serena. Stay in the middle of the group.”

“I’ve been down to the Second Layer plenty of times,” Serena argues. 

Although as the group heads down the path, Serena does as she’s told and stays in the middle. They wait on the landing, waving off the group on their travels until they descend out of sight down reliable sets of ropes and trails. The last thing they see before they disappear over the final cliff edge is Dennis’ bright smiles as he waves his arms over his head before jumping off and vanishing behind the colourful feathers in Shun’s helmet. 

And just like that, they’re gone.

The three of them wait on the landing a little longer, listening to the wind and the ever present roar of the Abyss. Birds call around them and faintly Ruri thinks she can still hear the voices of the travelling party. They’ll be ok. They’re using well travelled paths and will stay safe together. There should be nothing to worry about, if she honestly believed Shun wouldn’t go wandering off exploring or raiding. 

Or at least, nothing to worry about other than the usual troubles of descent and ascension. 

“We should go,” Yuuya says at last, stepping back towards the gondola. “Before we’re caught deeper than we’re allowed.” 

Yuzu and Ruri nod, returning with Yuuya to the glass cage to begin their own ascent. Ruri is glad for the ride as her head starts to spin. Yuuya sits on the floor, head between his knees and Yuzu is gazing at the ceiling. Dizziness and nausea, the price for trying to return from the First Layer. Trying to return from the depths of the Fourth Layer and Ray’s grave, Shun will suffer through agony, hallucinations and internal and external bleeding. No matter how many times he returns, Ruri never stops fearing the effect the Curse will have on him. 

It’s nearly five months until Shun returns with Serena and Akaba.

There are no warm greetings or smiles. Even the excited children of the orphanages or Yuuto’s gentle poking gets him to talk about what happened. Ruri catches new scars in the making as he takes off his shirt heading to the bathroom. He doesn’t stop for help cleaning the injuries or even to let her check over then, just mutters about needing a proper bath.

It’s only when Yuuya demands answers from Akaba that he says Dennis and Sakaki stayed behind. And that’s the only answer they get. It wouldn’t be unusual. Ruri fully expected Shun, Dennis and Sakaki to get distracted on the way up or down and detour. She’d usually be amazed Shun kept his promise and didn’t get distracted with them. But the sombreness of it all is unsettling.

Dennis returns alone just over a month later. Shun eyes the While Whistle around Dennis’ neck with an odd mix of longing and trepidation when he comes around. Even Dennis’ bright eyes have turned dull and his constant chatter has fallen quiet. Dennis whispers apologies for something Ruri isn’t privy to and when Shun asks if he’s planning to dive again, he says he’s going as soon as possible back down to Seeker Camp. 

As soon as possible ends up being before even his official ceremony to mark his promotion. Just a few days after his return. He disappears into the Abyss without fanfare or warning one morning. Shun and Akaba accompany him. They don’t even say goodbye.


End file.
